The Supreme Court has refused to grant any relief in the four-laning of NH7 along the Pench Tiger Reserve but has granted liberty to the petitioner to approach authorities under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) 1972 and put fresh proposals for their consideration.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), a NGO working for tiger and wildlife conservation, in 2008 had moved the centrally empowered committee (CEC) of the apex court seeking a ban on National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) move to upgrade NH7 from two-lane to four-six lane on the periphery of Pench-Mowgli Sanctuary in Seoni district. The NGO has alleged that the project will take toll on wildlife and reverse efforts to save big cats and its ecosphere.
In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court failed to give relief on CEC recommendation for intervention. "For the present, we are not inclined to consider and grant any relief. However, we grant liberty to the applicant as well as to the government to approach the authorities under the WPA, and put fresh proposals. These proposals should be considered by the authorities on own merits," the court said. It ruled further that the proposals, if any, to be submitted may be considered as expeditiously as possible in view of the importance of the issue involved.
The fate of highway widening from Seoni in Madhya Pradesh to Mansar near Ramtek in Maharashtra hangs in balance as it cuts tiger corridor between Pench-Kanha-Nagzira-Indravati-Tadoba.
On Maharashtra side, the proposed four-laning in the 39-km patch from Deolapar to Mansar will cut through newly declared Mansinghdeo Sanctuary compartment No. 591 (Chorbahuli) and 495 and 496 between Paoni and Manegaon on the left side from Nagpur to Jabalpur. The existing width of the road is 17 metres and NHAI plans to widen it to 60 metres. Besides, the four-laning will break the corridor contiguity with compartment number 581, 582, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591 and 592 and also affect continuity of compartments 480, 481 and 485 in Block 'B' and 'C' of Mansinghdeo.
Experts feel that after the Supreme Court orders, the NHAI will have to revise the proposal and now seek permission from the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh. "When the court has said that the issue should be decided on merit, it will not be easy for the NHAI to push for the four-laning," said conservationists.
"Proposal for diversion of sanctuary land for any developmental project can be considered only by the NBWL. Nagpur-Seoni is 125 kms, of which 65km is forest area with rich wildlife," they stressed.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already submitted that under no circumstances should the road be widened. It will lead to destruction of 22,482 trees in the area proposed for diversion on Maharashtra side alone. If implemented, it will damage tiger habitat and its corridors, the NTCA stated.
Experts suggested alternative route from Nagpur-Saoner-Chhindwara-Seoni to save two tiger reserves but this is not acceptable to the NHAI.
Loss to Maharashtra:
As far as four-laning of 39-km patch from Deolapar-Mansar in Nagpur district is concerned, the then chief conservator of forests (CCF) of Nagpur circle, SWH Naqvi, on September 29, 2007 in his site inspection report had submitted that road expansion will prove detrimental to wildlife as there is presence of animals like tiger, leopards, chitals, sambars, barking deer in the patch. The proposed patch from 652km to 689km, will destroy 112.620 hectare reserved (102.1594ha), protected (7.2739ha), zudpi (3.2069ha) forest area and also part of Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM). The road widening would also destroy 22,482 trees.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), a NGO working for tiger and wildlife conservation, in 2008 had moved the centrally empowered committee (CEC) of the apex court seeking a ban on National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) move to upgrade NH7 from two-lane to four-six lane on the periphery of Pench-Mowgli Sanctuary in Seoni district. The NGO has alleged that the project will take toll on wildlife and reverse efforts to save big cats and its ecosphere.
In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court failed to give relief on CEC recommendation for intervention. "For the present, we are not inclined to consider and grant any relief. However, we grant liberty to the applicant as well as to the government to approach the authorities under the WPA, and put fresh proposals. These proposals should be considered by the authorities on own merits," the court said. It ruled further that the proposals, if any, to be submitted may be considered as expeditiously as possible in view of the importance of the issue involved.
The fate of highway widening from Seoni in Madhya Pradesh to Mansar near Ramtek in Maharashtra hangs in balance as it cuts tiger corridor between Pench-Kanha-Nagzira-Indravati-Tadoba.
On Maharashtra side, the proposed four-laning in the 39-km patch from Deolapar to Mansar will cut through newly declared Mansinghdeo Sanctuary compartment No. 591 (Chorbahuli) and 495 and 496 between Paoni and Manegaon on the left side from Nagpur to Jabalpur. The existing width of the road is 17 metres and NHAI plans to widen it to 60 metres. Besides, the four-laning will break the corridor contiguity with compartment number 581, 582, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591 and 592 and also affect continuity of compartments 480, 481 and 485 in Block 'B' and 'C' of Mansinghdeo.
Experts feel that after the Supreme Court orders, the NHAI will have to revise the proposal and now seek permission from the National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) headed by prime minister Manmohan Singh. "When the court has said that the issue should be decided on merit, it will not be easy for the NHAI to push for the four-laning," said conservationists.
"Proposal for diversion of sanctuary land for any developmental project can be considered only by the NBWL. Nagpur-Seoni is 125 kms, of which 65km is forest area with rich wildlife," they stressed.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already submitted that under no circumstances should the road be widened. It will lead to destruction of 22,482 trees in the area proposed for diversion on Maharashtra side alone. If implemented, it will damage tiger habitat and its corridors, the NTCA stated.
Experts suggested alternative route from Nagpur-Saoner-Chhindwara-Seoni to save two tiger reserves but this is not acceptable to the NHAI.
Loss to Maharashtra:
As far as four-laning of 39-km patch from Deolapar-Mansar in Nagpur district is concerned, the then chief conservator of forests (CCF) of Nagpur circle, SWH Naqvi, on September 29, 2007 in his site inspection report had submitted that road expansion will prove detrimental to wildlife as there is presence of animals like tiger, leopards, chitals, sambars, barking deer in the patch. The proposed patch from 652km to 689km, will destroy 112.620 hectare reserved (102.1594ha), protected (7.2739ha), zudpi (3.2069ha) forest area and also part of Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM). The road widening would also destroy 22,482 trees.
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